Method of and apparatus for spooling heels



March 2, 1937. M.l w. HOWARD METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SPOOLING HEELS Filed May 9, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 2, '1937. M w, 'HQWARD 2,072,109

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SPOOLING HEELS Filed May el 1936 5 sheets-sheet 2 Z0 /0 /ZO March 2, 1937.

M. w. HowARD 2,072,109 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SPOOLING HEELS- Filed May 9, 195e 5 sheets-sheet :s

' ffwmar Me vron \N. Newark March 2, 1937.

V METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SPOOLING HEELS Filed May 9, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Merton N. Howqx' M. w. HOWARD 2,072,109

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SPOOLING HEELS' Filed May 9, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SPOOL- ING HEELS Merton W. Howard, Haverhill, Mass., assignor to Pope Machinery Corporation, Haverhill, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application May 9, 1936,'seri`a'11vo. 78,891 17 claims.v (c1. 12-471) This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for rounding the sharp edges produced at the intersections of the turned and breasted surfaces of a. heel, this operation being commonly known as spooling.

An object of the invention is to provide a simplified spooling machine for hand operation, th at is, manual lmanipulation of the heels, the machine being so designed as to enable the operator to compete with automatic or semi-automatic spooling machines in average rate of production. In heel spooling machines of the hand type, the machine must rst'be adjusted to opcrate on the size and style of heel to be spooled. When the machine is adjusted and ready for operation, each heel must be picked up Vfrom the receptacle by hand, mounted on a suitable jack, moved into operative engagement with one or more forming cutters which act to round olf the edges at the sides of the breast of the heel, and then transferred from the jack to a suitable container. The last step must be carefully carried out since the heels are easily damaged and must not be dented or nicked. It is an object of the present invention to provide heel-spooling mechanism which is capable of quick and easy adjustment for operation on heels of different styles and sizes. It is a further object of the invention to facilitate the handling of heels so that the spooling operations can be carried out in rapid succession, the heels being delivered to a receptacle in such a manner as to avoid injury t the sharp edges or corners thereon.

In the embodiment of the invention hereinrafter described, a pair of spaced form cutters are provided, these cutters being mounted above a work table on which a jack is freely slidable in any direction. Various adjustable gages or stop elements are mounted on the table so as to limit the range of movement of the jack Vand thus to coniine the jack to such movements as are necessary for the spooling operation. The table is also preferably provided with an aperture near the form cutters, this aperture being Alocated so that, when a heel blank has been spooled and retracted from the cutters, it Will be directly over the aperture. The jack includes a heelsupporting portion against which a heel must be manually held in an unstable position, so that, when the heel is released, it immediately falls froml its support. Thus, when a heel has been spooled and retracted from the form cutters, the release of the heel allows it to fall from the jack through the aperture in the table. Under the Yaperture'-a -slopingsurfaca Asuch 'asv a suitable chute, maybe provided to receive theheel and to `conduct it out t0 one side of themachine where it can be deposited in a receptacle Without injury. c

Fora moreu complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had tothe description of an embodiment thereof which follows, and to the illustration thereof on the drawings of which Figure 1 is a perspective plan. view of a machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the heel-supporting portion of a jack.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a breast stop for use with heels of the Cuban type.

Figure 6 is a perspective View of a breast stop for heels of the Louis type.

Figure 7 is an elevation of a form cutter an guide element therefor, showing a section of a heel in operative contact with the cutter and guide.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a portion of the 'machine parts being broken away to show the manner of discharge of spooled heels therefrom.

Figure 9 is a perspective plan View of the work table and jack with a Louis type heel thereon, showing successive positions of the jack and heel vduring a spooling operation.

Figure 10 shows the contour of the top-lift face of a Cuban heel before being spooled.

Figure 11 is a similar view after the spooling operation.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of a Cuban heel after being spooled.

Figure 13 shows a contour of the top-lift face of a Louis type heel before being spooled.

Figure 14 is a similar view after spooling.

Figure 15 is a side elevation of a Louis type heel after spooling.`

Referring to the drawings in detail, the embodiment of the invention illustrated therein includes a Work table which is preferably horizontal and may be supported in any suitable manner as by legs or standards 22. ,The standards 22 may, if desired, be a part of Zthe frame 24 on` which is also mounted a suitable motorr26. `The motor drives a pulley wheel 28 which is'connected by a suitablev belt 30 to apair of pulley wheels 32 mounted on shafts 34 which project upward through the table 20. At the upper ends of the` ,j

shafts 34 are mounted forming cutters 36 of thev rotary type, thesefcutters being suitably spaced above the surfaceof the tableh'l'l.H is thecutters are preferably driven at high speeds, the shafts 34 are provided with suitable high-speed bearings enclosed in casings 38 beneath the table 20.

The table 20 may be provided with a suitable aperture 40, preferably near the cutters 36, this aperture being of sufficient sizeto receive easily a heel. Below the aperture 40 a chute 42 is provided, this chute having an inclinedrbottom adapted to receive heels and to conduct them to one side of the machine where they can be deposited in a suitable receptacle. As indicated in Figure 3, a suitable deflector 44 may be mounted under the portion of the aperture nearest to the cutters so as to deflect the heels from the bearing housings 36 to guide them into the chute 42. As shown, the deflector plate 44 and the chute 42 may be lined with soft material such as felt so as to avoid bruising or nicking the sharp edges or corners of the heels.

In order to facilitate movement of heels into and out of engagement with the cutters 36, a suitable jack is provided to slide freely on the surface of the table 20. As shown, this jack may comprise a frame 50 including a pair of arms 52 and 54 which extend toward the rear of the table' and are spaced apart to span the aperture 40 and to straddle the shafts 34. The jack frame 58 may be a casting or may be otherwise produced. Integral therewith or permanently secured, thereto is an upright lug or ear 56 having a boss 58 through which passes a bolt 66. This bolt` also extends through a slot 62 in a bracket 64 projecting from the rear face of the plate 66 and perpendicular thereto. The plate 66 is the element against which the seat Lface of a heel rests when the heel is in position on the jack, and is pivotally mounted on the frame 50 as at 68. The slot 62 is arcuate, its center of curvature being the axis of the pivot 68, so that, when the nut on the bolt 66 is loos-` ened, the plate 66 can be adjusted to any desired angle of inclination. Tightening up the bolt 66 will then retain the plate 66 in such an angular adjustment. A suitable scale 10 may be provided on the bracket 64 to facilitate adjustment of the plate 66 to previously determined angles of inclination.

As indicated in Figure 4, the plate 66 is centrally slotted to receive'a sliding element 12 on which is kmounted a transverser breast Vstop 14. The upper end of the slide 12 is drilled and tapped as at 16 to receive an adjusting screw 18 mounted in the upper end of the plate 66. By turning the screw 18, the breast stop 14 can be given slow motion adjustment so that the heels supported on vthe jack can be brought to exactly the right elevation above the table surface for proper engagement with the forming cutters. The breast stop 14, illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, is designed for use With heels of the Cuban type, the` length of this breast stop being less than the Width of the heel breast. In heels of this type, the breast surface extends in cylindrical form to its intersection With the seat surface, the line of intersection being thus arcuate. In order tol ensure that the heel on the jack will be properly held and not inclined to onefside or the other, the heel must be carefully centered with respect to the breast stop 14. 'Io provide for such centering, an adjustable side gagel element is mounted on the plate 66, this element being engageable by a side edge of the seat face of the heel. A setscrew 82, extending through a slot 84 in the element 80, can

be loosened to permit adjustment of the gage element 80. The element 80 need not be adjusted for Louis heels but is useful in facilitating the mounting of such heels in position on the plate 66 for the spooling operation. Figure 6 shows a lip stop 86 suitable for heels of the Louis type, this lip stop being preferably longer than the lip of the heel.

Suitable guides are mounted above the cutters 36 to limit the approach of the heel to the cutters and thereby to prevent the removal of too much material from the heel blank in the spooling operation. These guides may be formed as desired and supported by any suitable means. As indicated in Figures 1 and 7, each cutter guide consists of an arm 94 carrying a fixed plate 90 and a rotatable disk 92, these being mounted so that a portion of the periphery of the disk 92 projects slightly beyond the adjacent portion ofv the periphery of the plate 90. 'Ihe shape of the` plate is indicated in Figure 1, the disk 92 being provided to facilitate the movement of the i heel past the cutter. The arm 94 is longitudinallyr slidable on the bracket 96. An adjusting screw 98: is in threaded engagement with the bracket 96A and is provided with a flange |06 engaging in a notch |02 in the arm 94, so that, by turning the adjusting screw 96, the arm 94 may be given fine. longitudinal adjustment. A knurled nut |04 isf. threaded onto a screw |06 mounted in the end' of the bracket 96 and projecting through a slot in the arm 94. When the nut |04 is set up tight, the arm 94 is fixed in adjusted position. -Sinef the guide plate 90 is directly over the end of t'lief cutter 36, it must be moved out of the Way When-L ever it becomes necessary to change the cutterv It is desirable., in order to save time, to beable to replace the guide plate 90 quickly and1 accueA rately in its previous replacement of the -cutter 36. 'Io this` end, the bracket 96 is provided with a vertical stud H0, which, as indicated in Figure 2, projects downward through a hole in the table 20. lower end ||2 of the stud ||0 isY threaded to receive a nut I4. The nut presses against a spring washer ||6 which holds the bracket 96 firmly against the table top so that no dust or dirt can work in between the contacting faces of the; bracket and table. This structure permits the bracket 96 to be swung on a vertical axis. 'I'he bracket is normally secured in its operative posi.- tion by a setscrew |20 which maybe. operatedby.' a convenient handle |22 to engage the stud' |'|0y and to clamp the stud against rotation. In order to determine accurately the proper angular adjustment of the bracket 96, it may be provided with a laterally projecting arm |24, as shown in Figure l. Through the end portion of the arm |24 'an adjusting screw |26 is threaded, this screw being provided with a locknut |28. An end of the screw |26 is adapted to abut a xed lug |30 on the'table 20. Rotation of the screw I 26, while its end is pressed against the lug |30, resultsl in a ne adjustment of the angular position of the bracket 96. When the proper position is determined, the nut |28 is set up. Then, while the screw |26 is manually pressed against the lug |30, the hand wheel |22 is turned to tighten the setscrew |20 against the stud H0, thus locking the bracket in its position. When it is de y sired to remove or replace the cutter 36, the hand wheel |22 is turned to release the bracket 96, the bracket then being swung so that the guide plate 90 moves clear of its cutter 36. When the The reduced cutter-has been replaced, the bracket 96 `isfswung back untilthe screw IZB-engages the lug |30,l

whereupon the bracket 96 is in its former position of adjustment and may be secured therein by turning the hand wheel |22. The guide plates for the two cutters are of the same construction,

as are the supporting means therefoigso that the foregoingV description applies 4vto the guiding means and its support for either cutter.

For speed of operation, it is desirable to provide for the Yeffective spooling of a heel during its movement vthrough a minimum path. For this purpose, two cutters 36' areV provided so that the spooling of one ank of the heel may be effected during the movement' of the heel into the space between the cutters,` and the spooling of the other flank of the heel.- maybe effected during the retracting movement of the heel from the space between the cutters. Thus, ,by a series of vthree brief movements, the complete spooling operation on a heel may be accomplished., These movements consist of the movement of the heel toward the rear of the table during which movement one flank of the heel is spooled, a short lateral shift of the heelv to bring the opposite flank into operative engagement Awith the other cutter, and a retracting movement of the heel toward the front of the table during which movement to the other ank is spooled and the heel is returned substantially to its initial position where it can be released to fall through the aperture 40. In making these movements, the heel describes a path somewhat similar to that indicated at |36 in Figure 9. In order to provide limiting means so as to prevent excessive or unnecessary extent of movement of the heel in any direction during the spooling operation, a number of stops or gages are provided, these members serving to assist the operator in imparting to the jack and the heel mounted thereon only such movements as are necessary to complete the spooling operation. As shown in Figures l and 9, a rear stop |40 is mounted on the table. This stop is provided with an elongated edge |42 engageable by the extremities of the arms 52 and 54 of the jack so as to provide a positive limit to the rearward movement of the jack. This is important as it is necessary to prevent the cutters from cutting too far up on the heel. The stop` member |40 is adjustable by means of a bolt |44 projecting through a slot |46 in the member |40. A front stop |50 is mounted on the table 20 near the front edge thereof and is engageable'by the jack to limit the movement thereof toward the front of the table. Thisstop is preferably adjustable toward or from the rear of the table. A side, gage |52 is mounted beside the jack and is held in adjusted position by a iinger vbolt |53 the shank of which passes through a slot |55 in the gage and is in threaded engagement with the table 20. The slot |55 extends inthe direction of the long axis of the gage |52 and,A is wider than the diameter of the shank of thebolt |53. Thus the gage is capableof considerable longitudinal adjustment and, more limited lateral adjustment. The gage is provided with a straight guiding edge |54 which lis elevated above the surface of the table so as to be Aengaged by a pair of roller elements |56 and |58 projecting up fromvthel jack 50. 'I'he gage |52 not only serves to aline the jack properly before the heel'is moved into operativeengagement with the rst-.cuttenbut also to determine the tangential and hence shockless cutter engage-v ment.

Insetting up the machine for operation on a batch of heels; thejack isfrst adjusted to the size.

and shape of the heel to be spooled. Not more than two adjustments of the jack are necessary for. aheel voi-"the vLouis type, such adjustments being to determine the angle of inclination of the supportingfplate l|56 .andthe elevation of the lip stop86. Itis not necessary to adjust the side gage 80a In the case of heels of the Cuban type, however, adjustment of the side gage 80 may be necessary in addition to adjustment of the angularity. of theplate 66 and the elevation of the breaststop 14, as it is necessary that the heels be properly cent-eredwith respect to the breast stop.

When-fthe Ijack has been properly adjusted, a heel is placedy on the plate-66 and the jack is moved toward vthe rear of the table until the heel hasprogressed across the line of centers of the cutters as far "as thespooling cut is to go on the iiank thereof. The' rear stop: |40 is then moved into' contact withA the ends ofthe jack arms 52 and 54 and secured. The jack is then moved so as to `bring the side of the toplift face of the heel into contact with the cutter guide element 92 at the left, the jack being` held so that the line between the ends of the arms 52 and 54 is roughly parallel to the line of centers of the cutters. The side gage .I 52 is then'moved into contact with vthe rollers |56and |58 and is longitudinally Yadjusted untilits rear `end is in line with the center of the roller |58. The gage |52 is then secured in such position of adjustment.. Ordinarily, noadjustment will be needed for the frontl stop |50, the object of l this stop being merely to provide an abutment against which the jack can bring up when the heel is moved away from the right-hand cutter at the conclusion of the spooling operation. The stop |50 may be set in such position that the highest heel to be spooled will be close to the lefthand cutter when the jack is in its loading position, and left there; or, if it is desired to secure the shortest possible path length for lower heels, the stop |50 may be moved back toward the cutters to match the lesser heel height.

In operating the machine, little or no visual attention is required, since the guides and stops receptacle by the left hand of the operator and held on the jack by theoperators right hand. The right hand may then be used to move the jack through the cycle of movementsnecessary to complete the spooling of the heel. During these latter movements, they left hand may be reached for another heel to be spooled. At the completion of such cycle of movements, the spooled heel is released bythe rightv hand and instantly tumbles through the aperture 40 and down the chute 42. By this time the left hand of the operator has a fresh heel ready to place on the jack where it is gripped by the fingers of the right hand, as illustrated in Figure 3, for movement against the 'cutters in succession. Y

It is evident that various modications and changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit orscope thereof as deiined in the lfollowing claims.,

I claim:- n 1. In a heel-spooling machine, a table, a pair of spaced rotary cutters mounted above said table,

guide elements above said cutters engageable byA a heel to limit the approach of the heel to each cutter, anda heel-supporting jack freely slidable on said table to carry a heel between said cutters.

2. In a heel-spooling machine, a table, a pair of spaced rotary cutters above said table, drlve shafts for said cutters projecting through said table, and a heel-supporting jack slidable on said table, said jack including a pair of arms projecting toward the rear of the table and spaced apart to straddle said shafts.

3. In a heel-spooling machine, a table, a pair of spaced rotatable shafts projecting up through saidtable, a rotary cutter mounted on each said shaft above said table, an adjustable Stop element on said table behind and parallel to the line of centers of said cutters, guide elements over said cutters engageable by a heel to limit its approach to the cutters, and a heel-supporting jack freely slidable on said table, said jack having a pair of spaced arms extending toward the rear of the table outside of said shafts when the heel carried by said jack is moved rearwardly between said cutters, said stop element being engageable by the extremities of said arms to limit the rearward movement of a heel relative to the cutters.

4. In a heel-spooling machine, a table, av pair of spaced rotatable shafts projecting up through said table, rotary cutters on said shafts above the table, guide elements over said cutters engageable by a heel to limit the approach of the heel to the cutters, a heel-supporting jack freely slidable on said table to present a heel carried thereby to said cutters, and a side gage adjustably mounted on said table and engageable by two points of said jack for preliminary alinement of the jack and heel for the spooling operation.

5.*In a heel-spooling machine, a table,.a pair of spaced rotatable shafts projecting up through said table, rotary cutters on said shafts above the table, guide elements over said cutters engageable by a heel to limit the approach of the heel to the cutters, a heel-supporting jack freely slidable on said table to present a heel carried thereby to said cutters, a stop element behind and parallel to the line of centers of said cutters engageable by said jack to limit the rearward movement thereof, and a side gage adjustably mounted on said table and engageable by two points of said jack for preliminary alinement of f the jack and heel for the spooling operation.

6. In a heel-spooling machine, a table,'a pair lof spacedlrotatable shafts projecting up through .said table, rotary cutters on said shafts above the table, guide elements over said cutters engageablelby a heel to limit the approach of the heel to the cutters, a heel-supporting jack freely slidable on said table to present a heel carried thereby to said cutters, a stop element behind and parallel to the line of centers of said cutters engageable by said jack to limit the rearward movement thereof, a second stop element near the front of the table engageable by said jack to limit the movement thereof toward the front of the table, and a side gage adjustably mounted on said table and engageable by two points of said jack for preliminary alinement of the jack and heel for the spooling operation.

7. In a shaping machine, a table having an aperture therein, a tool mounted above said table adjacent to said aperture, and a work support freely slidable on said table to present work to said spool for operation on said Work by said tool, said work support including a portion against which the work is manually held in an unstable position whereby the work falls from the support when released. l

8. In a heel-spooling machine, a table having an aperture therein adapted to receive a heel, and a pair of spaced rotary cutters adjacent to said aperture. I

9. In a heel-spooling machine, a table having an aperture therein adapted to receive a heel, a pair of spaced rotary cutters mounted above said table near said aperture, and a heel-supporting jack normally spanning said aperture and freely slidable on said table to move a heel carried thereon into engagement with said cutters in succession and to a position in which the heel will fall through said aperture when released.

10. In a heel-spooling machine, a table, a pair of spaced rotary cutters above said table, and a jack slidable on said table, said jack having a heel-supporting member on which a heel may be held during the spooling operation, and guide means engageable by said jack to prevent excessive movements thereof beyond the range required for the spoolingoperation, said table having an aperture therein of suicient size to receive a heel and so arranged as to be directly beneath a heel at the termination of a spooling operation.

11. `In a heel-spooling machine, a table having an aperture therein adaptedv to receive a heel, a pair of spaced rotary cutters above said table and near said aperture, guide members above said cutters to limit the approach of a heel thereto, a heel-supporting jack freely slidable on said table to present a heel thereon to said cutters in succession for operative engagement therewith. and adjustably xed guide means for limiting the range of movements of saidv jack on the table incident to the spooling of a heel and facilitating the return of the jack to a position in which the spooled heel is directly over said aperture.

12. In a heel-spooling machine, a table having an aperturetherein adapted to receive a heel, means above said table for spooling a heel, a heelsupporting jack freely slidable on said table to move a heel into operative relation to said spooling means, said aperture being located with reference to said spooling means so as to be directly beneath a spooled heel as it leaves the spooling means, and an inclined surface beneath said aperture adapted to receive heels from said jack and to conduct them to a container at the side of the machine.

13. A heel jack for a heel-spooling machine having a horizontal work table, said jack being slidable freely on said table, said jack comprising a horizontal base, a standard on said base, an inclined seat-supporting plate mounted on said standard and rockably adjustable thereon about a horizontal axis parallel to the plane of said plate, and a lip stop at the lower end of said plate.

14. A heel jack for a heel-spooling machine having a horizontal work table, said jack being slidable freely on said table, said jack comprising a horizontal base, a standard on said base, an inclined seat-supporting plate mounted on said standard and rockably adjustable thereon about a horizontal axis parallel to the plane of said plate, a breast stop mounted on the plate, said breast stop having a breast-supporting portion shorter than the width of the breast of the heel to be spooled and an adjustable gage element on said plate engageable by a side edge of the seat face of a heel to center the heel on the breast stop.

15. A method of spooling heels, which comprises presenting one flank of a heel to one of a pair of rotary cutters, moving the heel in one direction when so presented to complete a spooling cut on said flank, shifting the heel to present the other ank to the other cutter, and moving the heel in the opposite direction to complete the spooling out on said other flank.

16. A method of spooling heels, which cornprises presenting one flank of a heel to one of two spaced rotary cutters for operation thereon as the heel is moved toplift end foremost into the space between said cutters, shifting the heel laterally to present the opposite flank to the other cutter, and withdrawing the heel from said space while said opposite flank is so presented.

1'7. A method of spooling heels, which cornprises manually holding a heel against an upright movable support, moving said heel and support to present a flank of the heel to one of two spaced rotary cutters for a spooling cut thereon, the motion of the heel being such as to cause it to enter the space between the cutters, shifting the heel and support to present the opposite ank to the other cutter, moving the heel out from between the cutters while thus presented, and releasing the heel.

MERTON W. HOWARD. 

